Pinckneyville preparing to sell two city-owned lots
The Pinckneyville City Council has agreed to sell two pieces of city-owned property, and will accept sealed bids until 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24.
For sale is property at 15 N. Main St. The resolution specifies the property must be developed as a coffee shop and restaurant, and that plans for such must be part of the submitted sealed bid.
A second property, at 108 E. Hawkins St., has no such restrictions and has no development specifications.
The bids will be opened at the city council meeting on Oct. 24, which begins at 6 p.m.
Mardi Gras is coming
At Monday's city council meeting, Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Genevieve Brammeier received approval for the road closings that accompany the 2018 Mardi Gras events, which will culminate with the 96th annual Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday, Oct. 27.
The events are:
• The Queen's Collection of funds at the four-way stop and around the square will be on Sept. 29, 2018. Mardi Gras Queen candidates will collect money to fund the Queen's Scholarship, which awards $2,400 in college scholarships each year. (The roads aren't closed, but watch out for the collectors in the street).
• The Mardi Gras Queen Pageant on Oct. 13 at Pinckneyville Community High School. Tickets: $10 ($5 for students, with 5 and under free).
• The Children's Parade, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 26, on Mulberry Street. Streets closed are Mulberry, Mill, Randolph and Walnut.
• The Business Trick or Treat, on Oct. 26. Mulberry Street will be closed from Perry Street to the east side of Douglas Street in front of the grade school.
• Mardi Gras flea market and car show. Near the grade school at 301 W. Mulberry St. Overflow parking at First Baptist Church. Roads closed: Walnut Street from Route 154 to South Street; Mulberry Street from Main Street to Mill Street; Douglas Street to Mulberry Street and St. Louis to Walnut Street, as well as Randolph Street between the alley behind the Post Office to the Sav-A-Lot parking lot.
• The Mardi Gras Parade, which steps off at 7 p.m. Oct. 27. It will close Front Street, Parker Street, Walnut Street, Mulberry Street and Mill Street for the duration.
Other business
• The Sept. 10 council meeting opened with more good news from City Treasurer Rick Rees regarding the city's unrestricted bank balance. As of Aug. 31, 2018, the balance was $964,169.56, which is $520,614.70 more than what the city had a year ago, on Aug. 31, 2017.
• The council voted to enter into an agreement with Heny, Meisenheimer & Gende Inc. ("HMG") to lead the city through using its $364,647 community block development grant to replace 999 lineal feet of sewer pipe.
• Commissioner David Stone requested and received permission to have C&C Pump Supply from Marion repair one of the high service pumps at the water treatment plant at a cost of $4,900.
• A contract with American Lawncare LLC to mow the City Lake area between Sept. 1, 2018 through November 2019 was placed on filed to be approved at the next meeting. The proposed contract is valued at $3,740.43.
• Pinckneyville city employees will once again receive the flu/pneumonia vaccine provided through the Perry County Health Department. Employees over 65 will get a pneumonia shot, as well as the flu vaccine, while the younger staff will get only the flu vaccine. The city will cover the cost of the vaccines for all full-time and part-time employees.
• Ordinance No. 2018-31, to govern the performance evaluations of supervisory city employees was approved. Commissioners Kevin Hicks and Sammy Peradotta voted no, but the ordinance passed. It was clarified that each evaluation will be ultimately approved by the entire council, not just the commissioners who did the actual evaluations.
Personnel
• The council accepted the resignation of Jamie Benbrook from the Pinckneyville Police Department, effective Sept. 11, 2018.
• Rick Cicardi has been appointed to the Police and Merit Board for a three-year term.
• Fred Pabst has been appointed to the Police and Merit Board for a one-year term.</group><group id="31B1697C-247C-479E-B8D1-375F7A43C338" type="seoLabels">